Our Foundation

Case for Giving

This Valley is Vital: Our Case for Giving

"Angie was consistently competent, caring, and kind. She is truly
a star. She along with two other employees in the department, Joan and
Luis, made a big difference in the quality of care that my father received.
They greeted him with a smile, treated him with respect, and gave him
good medical care — truly a winning combination!"

- One of our Patient’s daughters

For over 110,000 members of our community, and around 70,000 who received
critical care in our Emergency Department this year, our enduring goal
is to be there for them with the same compassionate care that Angie, Joan
and Luis delivered for this patient’s father. And while that may
seem simple, the complexity of healthcare in the disadvantaged neighborhoods
of the San Fernando Valley we call home creates an unrelenting need for
careful strategic planning, focused action, and generous benefactors to
make it all possible. Your support of our Foundation allows it to truly
function as one— a solid foundation upon which we stand and improve
the health of the community so that it remains vital today and for generations to come.

No Greater Gift than Care

We love what we do because there is no greater gift to give someone than
care. As the business of hospital care has changed, we have remained financially
solvent, but without the generosity of others, we cannot maintain the
commitment we began 60 years ago in caring for the needs of the San Fernando
Valley. Patients and their families are counting on us. Join us in keeping
Valley Presbyterian Hospital a vital part of the community.

Our Approach to Vitality

As an independent community hospital, we must be highly attuned to the
needs of our community. After all, their vitality can be dependent on
ours. To provide the right and appropriately scaled services, we engage
our patient community and their families for both immediate and long-term
feedback. Patient satisfaction scores, care provision metrics, and community
advisory groups, help shape our understanding of where we are successful
and where we need to improve. Every three years, we compile data gathered
over the previous period to understand what medical services are in greater
demand, what community challenges need to be overcome, and how best to
prioritize our efforts to deliver.

The Drivers of Financial Pressure on the Hospital

Since Valley Presbyterian Hospital opened its doors in 1958, providing
the San Fernando Valley with its first full-service hospital, hospital
care has dramatically changed. Many area hospitals have downsized or closed,
reducing the number of available beds and straining the facilities that
have remained open. To meet the demand, our 350-bed facility now serves
double the number of patients it started with and has one of the Valley’s
busiest Emergency Departments.

Our population is among the more disadvantaged in Los Angeles County. For
nearly half of our patient population, living on a low income is an everyday
reality. Worse still, 28% of our children and 15% of our seniors live
below the poverty line. When it comes to health insurance, the statistics
reveal other critical challenges. The uninsured rate in our service area
is 21%, five points higher than in the Valley at large. Of those with
coverage, the payer mix predominantly relies on state and federally provided
programs, both of which pay up to 15% less than actual costs incurred.

Research we conduct within our service area shows that our patient community
tends to go without a primary care physician, the first line of preventative
or early care. They have much less access to healthcare, yet given their
socio-economic status, are much higher risk candidates for serious and
costly-to-treat diseases like diabetes, obesity, mental health issues,
and substance abuse.

When added up, these drivers burden the hospital’s fiscal health
and place financial pressure on its services. Through careful planning
and focused spending, the hospital has met those challenges. However,
as hospital care continues to change, we need outside support for building
infrastructure and maintaining the services that are so vital to our community.
Please read our Funding Priorities insert to learn more about initiatives
that need philanthropic support.